“I there represent that I sent notice of my method to Mr. Leibnitz before he sent notice of his method to me, and left him to make it appear that he had found his method before the date of my letter.”
- January 4, 1643 – March 31, 1727
- Born in England (UK)
- Natural philosopher, mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian
- Proposed the laws of universal gravitation and motion, built the foundations of modern science, and systematized theories of natural philosophy and mathematics.
Quote
“I there represent that I sent notice of my method to Mr. Leibnitz before he sent notice of his method to me, and left him to make it appear that he had found his method before the date of my letter.”
Explanation
In this quote, Isaac Newton is referring to the controversial dispute over the invention of calculus with the German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Newton claims that he had already developed his method for calculus and informed Leibniz about it before Leibniz published his own version of the method. Newton suggests that Leibniz then attempted to claim priority for the invention of calculus by making it appear as though he had developed the method independently and before receiving Newton’s notice. This dispute became a significant point of contention between the two men, leading to a bitter and public rivalry that continued for many years. The issue of priority over the invention of calculus remains a key episode in the history of mathematics.
This disagreement was not only a personal rivalry but also had broader implications for the development of mathematical thought. While Newton developed his method of fluxions (a precursor to differential calculus) in the mid-1660s, he did not publish it until much later, whereas Leibniz independently developed his notation and methods for calculus in the 1670s and published his work in the 1680s. Newton’s reluctance to publish his findings allowed Leibniz’s version of calculus to become more widely known and to establish itself in the mathematical community. Both men, however, independently developed the core ideas of calculus, though with different notations and approaches.
Today, the calculus priority dispute is seen as a misunderstanding exacerbated by the personal conflict between Newton and Leibniz, as well as the lack of communication and collaboration in the scientific community at the time. Modern historians of mathematics acknowledge that both men contributed significantly to the development of calculus. The dispute, however, highlights the importance of publication and documentation in scientific discovery, as well as the potential for rivalries to cloud the recognition of contributions. Despite this, the development of calculus remains one of the most profound achievements in mathematics and continues to play a crucial role in modern science and technology.
